Liverpool manager has revealed why he wants arch-rivals to stay in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby.
The two clubs may be fierce local rivals but currently they couldn’t be further apart, as the Reds are fighting for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, while the Toffees are fighting just to stay in the Premier League.
Liverpool are one point behind league leaders with six games remaining, have reached the final and Champions League semi-finals, on top of winning the Carabao Cup in February.
Everton on the other hand have endured perhaps their worst season in decades, with Frank Lampard’s side 17th, just a point clear of the relegation zone following Burnley’s 2-0 victory over Southampton on Thursday night.
While many Liverpool fans would love to see their rivals relegated, Klopp does not, telling Sky Sports: ‘These games have nothing to do with the table.
‘It’s a great game and I honestly hope they stay in the league because the Merseyside derby should always be on the fixture list.’
Liverpool and Everton are two of the six clubs to have remained in the Premier League since its inception, but the derby has of course been around for much longer, with the first meeting between the two sides taking place way back in 1894.
While originally dubbed the ‘friendly derby’, the match is in fact one of the most intense around and has seen more red cards than any other Premier League fixture.
‘It’s always intense for me, at times too intense,’ added Klopp.
‘We played a lot of derbies that I wouldn’t miss to be honest because they’re over the top.
‘I like physical football and all these kinds of things, but you also have to respect that the other guy has to play next week as well.’
‘We had that one game [last season] where not only did we have Jordan Pickford [seriously injuring Virgil van Dijk] but then Richarlison on Thiago. That’s too much.
‘Physicality? Yes. Legal aggression? Yes of course. If that hadn’t been allowed, I wouldn’t have been able to play one game in football.
‘But respect the rules. If that’s done than I would love the derby, as a really intense but normal football game.’
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